Dissertation (Literature and Culture 1800-present)

• Credit value: 60 credits at Level 7
• Convenor: David McAllister
• Assessment: a 15,000-word dissertation (100%)

The dissertation is designed to test fully the critical reading and writing skills, research methodologies and reflexivity that you will have developed throughout your MA programme.

By the end of this module, you will have:

• understanding of the intellectual, socio-cultural and aesthetic contexts of your chosen topic or issue
• demonstrated substantial knowledge of that subject area
• demonstrated a conceptual understanding of a well-defined aspect of literature and culture
• analysed a range of cultural materials
• developed techniques in critical reading
• developed skills in close reading and analysis of primary and secondary cultural materials
• developed new ideas
• identified an existing critical body of work with which to engage in a critical debate
• constructed and presented a position and a sustained line of argument in writing
• located and utilised various sources of materials, including research libraries, museums, archives, and a variety of media
• produced an extended piece of discursive writing
• undertaken an individual course of research.